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In Star Wars Episode IX, The Rise of Skywalker, Emperor Palpatine’s resurrection is unveiled through sinister Sith methods. Revealed as Rey’s grandfather, Palpatine goads her to kill him, intending for his spirit to transfer into her body so they can rule jointly. Rey, accompanied by Kylo Ren, confronts him, and she channels the collective power of the Jedi to vanquish him. While the storyline appears convoluted, the visual spectacle is undeniably impressive.
Emily Shkoukani, a junior creative executive at Lucasfilm responsible for maintaining continuity within the Star Wars universe, has detailed how Palpatine’s return was orchestrated. This resurrection traces back to the Contingency, a backup plan devised by Palpatine in case of his betrayal or demise—events that eventually unfolded when Darth Vader killed him in Return of the Jedi. The Contingency utilized drones to issue directives to Imperial cells and propagate radicalization across the galaxy.
Operation: Cinder was a crucial component, unleashing ruthless environmental attacks to render planets uninhabitable. The ultimate goal was to eliminate liabilities and solidify the Emperor’s loyal followers. Although much of this plan proceeded as intended, Grand Admiral Rae Sloane deviated from the plan, double-crossing Counselor of the Empire Gallius Rax and intervening to save Jakku.
The New Republic was expected to dismantle the Empire, paving the way for the rise of the First Order. However, the transition wasn’t seamless, although the First Order eventually ascended. Concurrently, clones of Palpatine and the Sith Eternal worked on Exegol to create a perfect clone of the Emperor and construct a new Sith Armada to conquer the known galaxy.
While these efforts encountered obstacles, Snoke, who oversaw the First Order, was among those cloned entities. His designated role was to bring Rey to Palpatine, an objective that failed as seen in The Last Jedi. Nonetheless, Rey eventually discovers her way to Exegol, confronting and ultimately defeating Palpatine.
In summary, Palpatine’s resurgence stemmed from his strategic planning for his own demise. His contingency involved creating covert cells to uphold the Empire’s doctrines on his behalf. Ultimately, he resorted to cloning himself, leading to his return and the events depicted in The Rise of Skywalker.